Colorado  Libraries 

Tabulated  Statement,  April,  1894. 


Work  in  a Library. 

The  Public  Library,  Denver. 


Reprinted  from  the 
Colorado  School  Journal 
Of  April,  1894. 


Colorado  Libraries,  Tabulated 


LOCATION. 

NAME  OF  LIBRARY. 

Founded. 

Free 

or 

Subs 

No. 

Vols. 

1890 

Subs 

600 

1882 

Free 

125 

Public 

74 

1886 

500 

1880 

44 

1500 

tt 

Y.  M.  C.  A 

44 

800 

1892 

44 

165 

Black  Hawk 

1880 

44 

450 

1891 

44 

114 

1878 

46 

9000 

66 

1876 

44 

1217 

Breckenridgc 

Public  School ... 

1889 

358 

50 

Buena  Vista 

1890 

Free 

250 

State  Reformatory 

1894 

150 

1891 

Subs 

210 

C.  C.  L.  Ass’n 

1886 

1900 

Free 

100 

1500 

100 

Colorado  City .... 

Bancroft 

1891 

Free 

300 

Colorado  Springs 

Coburn 

1894 

Subs 

10000 

U 61 

El  Paso  Club  

“ “ 

El  Paso  County  Teachers 

1892 

Free 

b6  (6 

Free 

1885 

”2666 

64  66 

1892 

• 4 

6 6 6 6 

1892 

1200 

“ “ 

School  for  Deaf  and  Blind,  

1880 ! 

Free 

1000 

Y M C A 

300 

Como 

1894 

St 

125 

U P R R Employes 

1880 

Subs 

500 

Crested  Butte 

Public  School 

1888 

Free 

345 

Del  Norte 

Public  School ....  

1891 

“ 

150 

Delta 

Public  School 

200 

Denver 

Broadway  School  Dist.  No.  1 

Free 

240 

Ebert  School  44  “ 

1886 

290 

<*• 

Gilpin  School  “ “ 

1883 

4. 

1500 

46 

High  School  “ “ 

1260 

4* 

High  (Manual  Train  1 “ 

388 

4* 

Longfellow  “ “ 

1885 

Free 

200 

Twenty-Fourth  St  41  44 

1891 

150 

•6 

Whittier  4 4 4 4 

1883 

46 

1200 

Wyman  44  “ 

1893 

46 

40 

Dentra.l  Dist  No  2 

1891 

85 

Elmwood  4 4 44 

1893 

Free 

160 

6; 

Fairmont  44  44  

66 

Franklin  44  4 4 

1884 

44 

550 

6k 

Garfield  4 4 44  ...  .. 

1890 

46 

375 

High  “ 44 

1881 

44 

1700 

Lincoln  4 4 4* 

1893 

44 

144 

Logan  44  44 

1890 

46 

225 

4* 

Sheridan  44  44 

1892 

44 

125 

44 

Washington  4 4 4 4 

1891 

44 

260 

Ashland  School  Dist.  No.  17 

66 

300 

44 

Boulevard  44  4 4 

ti 

125 

4 * 

Bryant  4 4 4 4 

66  | 

550 

44 

Columbia  *•  44 

66 

65 

Edison  44  44  

46 

70 

High  4 4 4 4 . 

66 

1000 

Louise  M.  Alcott  4’  44  ...... 

46 

75 

44 

Ballenger  & Richards 

66 

150 

44 

City  . . . 

1886 

w 6 

25811 

44 

College  of  the  Sacred  Heart 

1888 

Private 

6879 

44 

College  of  the  Sacred  Heart .... 

1888 

844 

Colorado  Historical  Soeiel.v  

Society 

200 

Colorado  Scientific  Society  . ! 

Free 

1350 

Colorado  State  L 

1870 

10000 

Colorado  S"preme  Court 

1860 

“ 

10481 

4t 

Ernest  & Cranmer  . . 

1890 

Private 

8500 

Gross  Medical  College 

1892 

Free 

44 

H.  B.  Stephens 

Subs 

7050 

4 4 

Matthews  Hftll  and  Bishop  Spaulding 

10000 

Public 

1889 

Free 

20000 

Kerr  B.  Tupper 

1891 

Private 

4000 

44 

Symes  Law 

1884 

Free 

6500 

44 

Wolfe  Hall 

1868 

1500 

44 

Woman’s  Alliance 

1886 

It 

200 

Y.  M.  C.  A.,  ("Central  Dcp’tV. 

1 “ 

1400 

44 

Y.  M.  C.  A (Railroad  Dep’t) 

1882 

1074 



High  School  

1888 

1 “ 

500 

Librarian 

or 

Officer  Reporting. 


J.  S.  Wheeler 

Geo.  A.  Miller 

D.  E.  Stephenson 

W.  T.  Eddingfield 

Kate  Ruth 

Nettie  Davis 

J.  M.  Seright 

Geo.  L.  Harding 

Chas.  E.  Lowrey 

C.  M.  Kingsley 

Chas.  S.  Steele 

Mrs.  R.  G.  Leake 

Alfred  Durfee 

Mrs.  S.  F.  Megrue 

P.  H.  Hammond 

J.  H.  Troendly 

R.  A.  Knott 

Mrs.  Maggie  Hill 

H.  S.  Murdock 

C.  O.  Finch 

C.  O.  Finch 

M.  L.  Cowles 

Geo.  B.  Turnbull  ..  ... 

C.  O.  Finch 

John  E.  Ray 

W.  A.  Lloyd 

A.  J,  Cushman 

Wm.  Wooler 

A.  E.  Phillips 

Earl  Whedon 

Lillian  Lewis 

Z.  B.  McClure 

G.  L.  Arnold 

Frona  R.  Houghan 

Wm.  H.  Smiley 

C.  A.  Bradley 

A.  W.  Elder 

A.  C.  Courtney 

R.  H.  Beggs 

Geo.  B.  Long 

Kate  Hinman  

H.  W.  Zirkle 

Geo.  W.  Wyatt 

W.  E.  Knapp 

Miss  A.  N.  Miller 

Ed.  F.  Hermanns 

J.  H.  Dodds  

O.  S.  Moles 

H.  S.  Phillips 

L.  P.  Nor  veil 

F.  E.  Phillips 

T.  B.  Bird 

R.  W.  Strong  

Darius  Conrad 

W.  F.  Mack 

Clara  Newcomb 

J.  M.  Erwin 

Ballenger  & Richards . 

Chas.  R.  Dudley 

A.  M.  Mandalari,  S.  J. 
A.  M.  Mandalari,  S.  J. 
Chas.  R.  Dudley 

P.  H.  van  Diest 

S.  I.  Goodspeed 

Jas.  A.  Miller 

Garrett  Owens 

Dr.  T.  M.  Burns 

H.  B.  Stephens 

Rev.  W.  C.  Bradshaw . . 

John  C.  Dana 

Rev.  Kerr  B.  Tupper  .. 

F.  T.  Henry 

Rev.  W.  C.  Bradshaw. 
Miss  G.  E.  Watson  — 

Edward  Grace 

Leroy  Burdick 

T.  0.  Baker MTt? 


0 7. 1 •* 

H £4113 


Colorado  Libraries,  Tabulated 


{CONTINUED.) 


LOCATION. 

naivJe  OF  LIBRARY. 

Founded.  | 

Free 

or 

Subs 

No. 

i Vols. 

Librarian 

or 

Officer  Reporting. 

Durango 

1891 

Free 

759 

i Nu.thfl.ii  H.  Hawkins 

Elizabeth 

Public  School 

125 

i Geo.  J.  Blakeley 

Fairplay 

Public  School 

1892 

58 

i E.  Kesner 

Florence 

Public  School 

. (4 

150 

1 Florence  B.  Ruddick.. 

Fort  Collins 

High  School 

1885 

1300 

State  Agricultural  College 

1879 

il 

4311 

Celia  M.  Southworth.. 

Fort  Morgan 

Fort  Morgan  Public 

1892 

44 

500 

Public  School 

75 

Georgetown 

High  School 

Free 

300 

A.  E Barker 

Golden 

Public  School 

lOuO 

W.  Triplett 

44 

1891 

800 

G.  A.  Garard 

State  School  of  Mines 

1887 

,, 

3000 

E.  G Moody 

Grand  Junction.. 

Western  Colorado  Academy 

1881 

it 

1200 

Henry  Nichols 

Greeley 

Greeley  Public 

1885 

tt 

2380 

Mrs  J D Page 

“ 

SchoofDistrict  No.  6 

500 

W.  H.  Brock  way 

State  Normal 

1889 

Free 

4U00 

W T.  Ynpn.r 

Weld  County  Teachers’  Ass’n 

25 

O.  Howard 

Gunnison 

Public  School 

1891 

Free 

200 

Gypsum 

Public  School 

25 

Idaho  Springs... 

Public  School 

Free 

300 

A.  E.  Barker 

Jefferson 

Public  School 

32 

Geo.  A.  Miller 

Julesburg 

Public  School 

1889 

Free 

6 

A.  Graham 

44 

Public  School 

1890 

Subs 

20 

Kiowa 

Teachers’  Circulating 

1890 

78 

E.  P.  Clark 

Lafayette 

Kiowa  Circulating 

1893 

150 

F.  J.  Francis 

La  J unta 

Public  School . . . 

1886 

Free 

7180 

Miss  Clara  Sherwood 

Lake  City 

La  Junta 

1893 

150 

R.  C.  Drake 

Lamar 

High  School 

1891 

Subs 

200 

Mrs.  Mabel  1.  Maxwell 

Leadville 

King’s  Daughters 

1322 

Ralph  Robertson 

Public  School 

Longmont 

Y.  M.  C.  A 

1892 

Subs 

<:50 

C.  F.  Paimer 

Longmont  Academy 

1888 

220 

Miss  Tnez  Clark 

Loveland 

High  School  

1887 

159 

Gertrude  E.  Smith.... 

Manitou 

Public  School 

1390 

Free 

300 

L.  B.  Grafton 

Meeker 

Public  School 

1894 

71 

W.  II.  Young 

Moffat 

Public  School 

O.  C.  Skinner 

Montclair 

Jarvis  Hall  Academy 

1867 

Free 

900 

B V.  Cissel 

“ 

Montclair 

1892 

Subs 

10UO 

Clara  E.  Lowell 

Monte  Vista 

Public  School  

Morrison 

Public  School 

J S Facie  I nn 

Mosca 

Public  School 

1893 

Tilmou  Jenkins 

Ouray 

Public  School 

1885 

Subs 

200 

C E Filkins 

Parachute 

School 

1893 

36 

Chas.  M Osbnrn 

Pueblo 

Central  Block  Law 

1893 

Subs 

2175 

Sara,  M "R.eed 

44 

Central  High  School 

1888 

Free 

200 

P.  W Search 

44 

D.  & R.  G.  Employes 

400 

John  Brunton 

44 

McClelland  Public  

1891 

t; 

4000 

J.  W Chapman 

44 

Public  School,  District  No.  1 

1882 

tt 

1000 

Chas  J Tjing 

44 

Public  School,  District  No.  22 

n 

250 

Mrs.  M.  K.  Colbert 

44 

Teachers,  District  No.  1 

1893 

tt 

40 

Jas  S Modim  g 

44 

Y.  M.  C.  A 

1889 

tt 

350 

G.  C Huntington 

Red  Cliff 

Red  Cliff 

1889 

Subs 

1000 

Miss  McCabe 

Rocky  Ford 

Rocky  Ford  Free 

1892 

Free 

300 

J E Tonrf.elot.tfi 

Roswell 

Public  School 

1893 

111 

T,  C Ormes 

Saguache 

Public  School 

tt 

150 

O C Skinner 

Public 

tt 

2000 

Salida 

High  School  . . . 

1885 

Subs 

450 

Miss  Clara  L.  Hamilton 

Silver  Plume 

Free 

100 

It  W Bullock 

Steamboat  Spr’gs 

Denison 

1891 

1000 

Rev.  J.  Wallace  Gunn. 

Sterling 

Sterling  Town 

10o 

Frank  Smith 

Telluride 

Circulating 

Subs 

700 

II  Woodall 

Trinidad 

Free  Public 

Free 

8000 

J W i n so  r 

44 

Public  School 

300 

Et  C Stevens 

Teachers’ 

75 

E C Stevens 

Tillotson  Academy 

1000 

E.  Floyd 

University  Park. 

University  of  Denver  

1885 

Free 

3500 

Louise  Foucar 

Villa  Grove 

Public  School 

100 

O.  C.  Skinner 

Villa  Park 

Public  School 

44 

Walsenburg 

Huerfano  County  Library  Ass’n 

1889 

Subs 

3 0| Nelson  Rhoades,  Jr.  .. 

Westcliffe 

Public  School 

1386 

200  J.  W.  Scott 

423,874 


WORK  IN  A LIBRARY. 


J.  C.  DANA. 


[ Part  of  a Talk  before  the  Teachers  of  Denver , March  3 , 1894.  ] 


It  is  still  the  common  belief  that  if 
one  has  a pretty  taste  for  books  and  is 
so  well  posted  that  she  knows  that 
John  Milton  and  Augusta  Evans  Wil- 
son are  both  dead,  and  that  Ben  Hur 
did  not  write  the  “Fair  God,”  then 
is  she  excellently  equipped  for  library 
work.  It  must  be  a pleasure,  they  tell 
us,  to  be  able  to  buy  so  many  nice 
books  and  then  just  to  sit  back  and 
read  ’em. 

1 propose  to  give,  as  briefly  as  may 
be,  an  outline  of  one  part  only  of  the 
work  of  the  librarian, — the  buying  of 
a book  and  the  putting  it  on  the  shelf. 
This  is  a process  that  rarely  comes  to 
the  attention  of  the  public.  It  is  not 
the  part  of  the  running  of  a library 
that  arises  most  to  the  surface.  To 
the  public  it  is  unimportant  and  would 
generally  be  said  to  call  for  little  la- 
bor and  less  skill. 

The  librarian  of  a growing  library, 
growing  in  size  and  the  number  of  its 
users,  selects  and  purchases,  let  us  say, 
three  to  six  thousand  volumes  per 
year.  To  do  this  properly  he  has  ac- 
quainted himself,  through  ten  to 
twenty-five  years  of  rather  constant 
reading,  with  a few  of  the  leading  facts 
in  English  and  American  literature. 
(I  am  referring  to  librarians  as  I learn 
of  them  through  their  reports  and 
their  journals.*)  He  not  only  knows 
about  certain  authors,  perhaps  a good 


*The  Library  Journal,  monthly,  the  official  or- 
gan of  the  American  Library  Association.  Chiefly 
devoted  to  library  economy  and  bibliography.  $5 
a year.  28  Elm  St.,  New  York.  This  journal  is 
easily  the  first  in  the  world  of  its  kind.  Every 
librarian  should  have  it  and  read  it,  no  matter 
how  modest  his  library. 


many,  and  their  works;  he  knows,  also, 
something  of  their  relative  standing  in 
the  world  of  letters.  And  his  ac- 
quaintance extends  beyond  the  field  of 
literature,  properly  so-called,  into  the 
fields  of  science,  philosophy,  art  and 
religion.  He  can  tell  in  a general 
way  of  the  merits  and  demerits  of 
some  of  the  more  prominent  produc- 
tions in  these  lines.  In  addition  to 
this  general  literary  knowledge  of  men 
and  their  books  he  has  a large  fund  of 
catalogue  knowledge.  He  knows  to 
what  books  to  turn  to  find  answers  to 
these  questions: 

1.  Has  a certain  man  written  any 
books?  What  are  they?  Who  pub- 
lished them?  What  do  they  cost? 
Have  they  any  value? 

2.  Was  ever  a book  printed  with 
this  or  that  title?  Who  wrote  it?  Who 
published  it?  What  does  it  cost?  Is 
it  good  in  its  line? 

3.  What  books  have  been  written  on 
a certain  subject?  By  whom?  Pub- 
lished by  whom?  What  is  their  cost? 
Which  of  them  are  the  most  relia- 
ble? _ 

This  bibliographical  knowledge,  it 
should  be  noted,  is  not  primarily  or 
directly  knowledge  of  books,  but  of  the 
vast  library  of  books  about  books. 

Some  one,  not  very  well  acquainted, 
perhaps,  with  the  possibilities  of  the 
English  language,  once  said  something 
about  the  advisableness,  would  you  im- 
prove your  style,  of  spending  days  and 
nights  in  the  study  of  Addison.  So  I 
might  say  that  would  the  librarian 
properly  extend  his  bookishness  he 
must  spend  his  days  and  nights  in  the 
reading  of  book  catalogues.  He  is 


perhaps  not  a true  librarian  who  does 
not  prefer  the  latest  catalogue  to  the 
latest  novel.  To  the  bookman  proper 
books  are  very  pleasant  as  an  occasion- 
al pastime;  catalogues  are  daily  food. 
This  reading  of  literature  and  this 
bibliographical  study,  give  one  infor- 
mation about  the  books  that  were 
written  twenty,  forty,  fifty,  a thousand 
years  ago.  To-day,  in  the  growing  li- 
brary, the  careful  buyer  must  keep 
himself  informed  as  to  books  pub- 
lished this  morning.  To  do  this  he 
must  read  current  books  and  criticisms. 
We  all  know  where  Marion  Crawford 
stands,  let  us  say,  and  can  tell  pretty 
accurately  what  his  next  book  will  be 
like  before  it  is  printed,  how  thin  it 
will  be;  how  many  literary-soda-water 
inebriates  will  grab  for  it.  But 
who  shall  tell  us  of  Sarah 
Grand  and  the  ‘‘Heavenly  Twins?” 
The  good  critics  try  to.  So  the  li- 
brary man  patiently,  not  to  say  eager- 
ly, if  he  is  to  the  manner  born,  patient- 
ly goes  through  the  “Critic,”  and  the 
“Dial,”  and  the  “Book-Buyer,”  and 
the  “Publishers’  Weekly,”  and  the 
“Publishers’  Circular,”  and  “Book 
News,”  and  “Book  Chat,”  and  the 
“Nation,”  and  the  “Atlantic,”  and 
perhaps  the  London  “Spectator,”  and 
“Speaker,”  and  “Athenaeum,’  and 
“Academy,  and  a few  other  such  lit- 
erary journals,  as  they  come  each  week 
and  month,  with  occasional  excursions 
into  the  book  notices  in  technical 
journals  and  magazines  on  electricity, 
mining, railroads  andscience  in  general. 
This  book  notice  and  catalogue  read- 
ing the  librarian  does,  you  understand, 


jTThe  Critic,”  a weekly  review  of  literature  and 
art,  289  Fourth  Ave.,  New  York,  M a year. 

“The  Dial,”  a semi-monthly  journal  of  literary 
criticism,  discussion  and  information.  24  Adams 
St.,  Chicago.  $-2  a year. 

“The  Book  Buyer,”  a monthly  summary  of 
American  and  foreign  literature. ^$1  a year.  Scrib- 
ners’ Sons,  New  York. 

“The  Publishers’  Weekly,”  the.  American  book 
trade  journal.  (Indispensable  to  the  book  buyer.) 
$5  a year.  28  Elm  St.,  New  York. 

“The  Publishers’  Circular,”  weekly,  booksellers’ 
record  of  British  and  foreign  literature,  l Is  a 
year.  Low,  Marston  & Co.,  London. 

“Book  News,”  monthly,  information  about  new 
books,  scope,  worth,  prices.  50c  a year.  John 
Wanamaker.  Phila.  (Excellent  for  the  price.) 

“Book  Chat,”  monthly,  notes  on  new  books.and 
index  to  magazine  articles.  $1  a year.  Brentano’s, 
5 Union  Square,  N.  Y. 

“The  Nation,”  weekly,  devoted  to  politics,  liter- 
ature, science  and  art.  (The  best  of  its  kind.)  *3 
a year.  Box  794,  New  York. 

The  above  list  includes  only  a few  of  the  many 
good  journals  devoted  largely  or  entirely  to  books 
and  authors.  If  one  does  much  reading  he  can 
well  afford  to  subscribe  to  one  or  two  of  them.  If 
one  buys  books  for  a library,  if  only  a few  in  a 
year,  he  can  not  afford  not  to  read  several  of  them. 


between  whiles.  It  is  not  his  work; 
it  is  his  pastime.  He  reads,  or  has 
read,  as  everybody  well  knows, 
all  the  books  already  pur- 
chased and  on  the  shelves.  He 
oversees  the  daily  work  in  the  library. 
He  answers  questions,  or  tries  to, 
about  the  color  of  Lowell’s  hair  when 
he  was  a boy,  and  the  age  of  the  cliff- 
dwellings,  and  the  virtues  of  the  income 
tax, and  the  position  of  the  center  of  the 
universe.  He  looks  after  the  library  ac- 
counts. He  quells  public  insurrec- 
tions arising  from  an  assistant’s  refusal 
to  permit  some  one  to  carry  off  the 
whole  library  at  once.  He  writes  and 
answers  innumerable  letters  and  makes 
himself  useful  in  a variety  of  other 
ways.  Meantime  and  between  whiles 
he  endeavors  to  keep  informed  as 
to  Dr.  Chas.  R.  Briggs’s  latest  denial. 
Prof.  Ely’s  last  economic  sweetmeats, 
the  differences,  if  any,  between 
“Dodo”  and  “Dora  Thorne,”  etc. , etc. 

But  with  all  his  reading  and  study 
he  is  not  yet  ready  to  buy  the 
books  for  his  library.  He  must  first 
take  into  consideration  not  simply  the 
standing  of  the  book  among  other 
books  of  its  class,  and  its  fitness  to  fill 
out  a weak  place  in  the  library,  and 
the  condition  of  the  finances  of  the 
library, — he  must  especially  keep  in 
mind  the  character  of  the  constitu- 
ency of  the  library,  the  number  of 
adults  and  juveniles  in  it,  its  degree 
of  intelligence,  its  probable  rate  of 
increase,  the  general  character  of  the 
community,  and  its  leading  occupa 
tions  and  interests;  the  stage  of  growth 
of  the  library — is  it  seeking  friends 
and  readers  or  can  it  afford  to  buy  the 
best  books  even  though  at  present  they 
do  not  attract  new  readers?  All  these 
things  and  others  does  he  bear  in  mind. 
And  he  is  perhaps  fairly  ready  now  to 
decide  to  buy  a book. 

He  has  met  in  his  reading,  to  take  a 
specific  example,  a note  to  the  effect 
that  Macmillan  & Co.  are  to  publish 
soon  a history  of  the  United  States  by 
Goldwin  Smith.  lie  already  knows  in 
a general  way  who  Goldwin  Smith  is. 
He  is  sure  that  “An  Outline  of  Politi- 
cal History  of  the  United  States”  by 
him  will  be  worth  reading.  He  is 
well  aware  that  the  department  of 
United  States  history  in  the  library 
has  always  been  too  small  for  the  calls 
made  on  it.  A one  volume  political 
history  of  the  United  States  in  these 
times  of  great  interest,  on  the  part  of 


both  sexes,  in  political  matters,  will 
be  very  acceptable. 

On  a slip  of  paper  kept  for  the  pur- 
pose he  makes  an  entry  thus:  ‘‘Smith, 
Goldwin.  History  of  U.  S.,  Macm. 
’93.  $2.00.”  This  is  filed  with  others 

containing  entries  of  other  books 

feprtt . ^3  'YVvaXK.  ( 

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Order  slip;  reduced;  actual  size 3 ins  by  5 ins. 

thought  desirable  for  purchase.  The 
time  comes  for  sending  in  an  order. 
The  slips  are  looked  over.  Examina- 
tion is  made  to  see  that  no  books  are 
ordered  that  are  already  in  the  librarj^ 
or  already  ordered  but  not  yet  re- 
ceived, (and  this  examination  alone, in 
case  of  an  order  of  any  size,  may  take 
several  hours);  those  books  are  settled 
upon  which  the  library  seems  actually 
to  need  and  can  afford  to  buy;  the 
slips  are  arranged  alphabetically,  cop- 
ied on  to  one  or  more  sheets,  and  with 
an  accompanying  letter  of  instructions 
sent  to  the  book  dealer — let  us  suppose 
Scribner  of  New  York.  On  the  upper 
left  hand  corner  of  each  slip  is  then 
written  “Scribner”  and  the  date  of 
mailing  the  order.  These  slips  are 
then  sorted  in,  alphabetically,  with 
other  slips  representing  other  orders 
previously  sent.  It  is  possible,  now, 
to  answer  these  questions:  if  a certain 
book  is  not  in  the  library,  has  it  been 
ordered?  of  whom?  when?  and  when 
may  we  look  for  it? 

In  due  time  the  books  come.  The 
box  or  bundle  is  brought  to  the  library, 
the  freight  bill  received  and  properly 
entered  as  part  of  book  expense,  the 
box  is  opened  and  the  books  are  placed 
on  the  shelves  in  the  catalogue  room. 
They  are  arranged  in  the  order  in  which 
they  are  entered  on  the  bill,  checked 
and  if  found  correct  the  bill  is  O.K.’d, 
approved  by  the  proper  authority  and 
in  due  time  paid.  The  slips  first 
mentioned  on  which  orders  are  entered 
are  run  over  and  all  those  correspond- 
ing to  the  bill  in  hand  are  placed  in  the 
books  to  which  they  refer.  If  any 
slip  contains  an  entry  asking  that 
someone  be  notified  of  the  arrival  of 
the  book  noted  on  it,  it  is  kept  in  the 


book  until  it  is  ready  for  the  shelf, 
when  a postal  is  sent. 

On  the  leaf  behind  the  title  page  is 
written  in  each  book  its  cost.  Each 
book  is  measured,  and  below  the  cost 
is  entered  a letter  indicating  its  size. 
Below  this  again  is  entered  the  num- 
ber of  pages  in  the  book,  both  the 
Roman  and  Arabic  numbers,  and  the 
fact,  if  it  be  a fact,  that  it  contains 
portraits,  maps,  or  illustrations.  The 
pages  are  cut,  (and  to  cut  tRe  pages  of 
the  books  needing’itin  a library  buying 
a few  thousand  volumes  a year,  would 
of  itself  take  all  of  one  person’s  time 
for  several  weeks.)  The  bill  is  next 
entered  in  the  accession  or  invoice 
book.  In  this  all  books  are  entered  as 
they  come  into  the  library,  each  entry 
occupying  a line  and  each  line  num- 
bered from  1 up  to  such  number  as  the 
library  has  volumes.  The  number  of 
the  line  on  which  every  volume  is  en- 
tered is  written  in  ink  on  the  bottom 
of  the  leaf  following  the  title  page 
and  again  on  the  upper  left  hand  cor- 
ner of  the  21st  page.  On  the  line  are 
entered  the  name  of  the  author  of  the 
book,  its  title,  place  of  publication, 
date  of  publication,  date  of  copyright, 
number  of  pages,  size,  style  of  binding, 
of  whom  the  book  is  purchased  or  by 
whom  given,  the  cost,  and  any  remarks 
that  the  facts  may  call  for — as  that  it 
replaces  a copy  worn  out  or  lost,  or 
that  it  has  itself  been  lost  and  paid 
for,  or  bound,  and  in  what  material. 
This  one  line  in  this  book  of  additions 
to  the  library  forms  a complete  history 
of  the  volume  entered  on  it  from  its 
arrival  at  the  library  to  the  day  it  is 
worn  out  and  cast  aside. 

The  book  is  next  classified,  that  is, 
its  place  in  the  library  is  determined 
and  the  number  given  to  it  by  which  it 
is  ever  after  to  be  known.  This  is  not 
a simple  process.  It  requires  often 
considerable  study  of  the  book  and  of 
the  character  of  the  library  and  of  the 
conditions  of  its  use. 

To  classify  properly  calls  also  for  no 
small  amount  of  previous  acquaintance 
with  the  general  subject  of  classifica- 
tion as  it  is  set  forth  in  the  volumes 
that  have  been  written  upon  it.  The 
process  can  not  be  even  outlined  in 
this  article.  It  is  sufficient  to  say 
that  the  particular  book  by  Goldwin 
Smith  now  in  hand  is  given  the  num- 
ber “973  Sm  5,”  which  at  once — to 
the  initiated — tells  where  it  is  to  stand 
on  the  shelves,  describes  its  contents, 


and  differentiates  it  from  every  other 
book  in  the  library. 

The  catalogue  card  is  now  written. 
This  card  contains  in  the  upper  left 
hand  corner  the  number  of  the  book, 
973  Sm  5.  Across  the  top  is  written 
the  author’s  name:  Smith,  Goldwin, 
and  following  this  a copy  of  as  much 
of  the  title  page  of  the  book  as  the 
rules  of  cataloguing  call  for,  the  place 
of  publication,  the  date  of  publication, 
the  date  of  copyright,  the  number  of 
pages,  the  fact  that  it  contains  por- 
traits, or  illustrations,  a letter  indi- 
cating its  size,  and  the  name  of  its 
publisher.  This  seems  a simple  mat- 
ter. It  is  not.  Study,  practice,  care 
and  patience  are  required  to  do  it  and  do 
it  right.  About  writing  catalogue  cards 
volumes  have  been  written,  and  the 
rules  to  be  followed  in  the  process  are 
minute  and  bewildering. 

The  card  is  not  yet  finished,  for  on 
its  back  must  be  written  the  accession 
number  of  the  book,  which  takes  one 
to  the  line  of  entries  already  men- 
tioned on  which  the  book’s  life  history 
is  told,  and  marks  indicating  what  en- 


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Catalogue  card;  reduced;  actual  size  3 .by  5 ins. 

tries  of  the  book  are  made  in  the  dic- 
tionary catalogue.  This  card  is  then 
placed  alphabetically  with  the  other 
cards  kept  in  the  cataloguing  depart- 
ment, which  together  form  a complete 
alphabetical  author  list  of  all  books  in 
the  library. 

Before  it  is  so  put  away  there  are 
written,  in  the  case  of  the  book  in 
hand,  several  other  cards,  all  having 
entries  similar  to  those  on  the  one  first 
mentioned,  but  headed,  one  with  the 
line  ‘‘Smith,  Goldwin,”  another  with 
“United  States,  an  Outline  of  Pol. 
History;”  another  with  “U.S.  Politics, 
History  of.”  These  three  are  put  in 
their  proper  alphabetical  places 
in  a dictionary  catalogue  kept  near  the 
counter  for  the  use  of  the  library  as? 
sistants  and  the  public.  This  last 
catalogue,  you  will  ppttpe,  aqs\yers 
these  questions; 


(1).  Has  the  library  a book  by  a 
certain  author? 

(2.)  Has  the  library  a book  with  a 
certain  title? 

(3.)  Has  the  library  any  books  on  a 
certain  subject? 

To  sort  into  their  proper  places  the 
several  thousand  cards  thus  written  in 
a small  library  in  a year  would  oc- 
cupy one  person’s  entire  time  for  sev- 
eral weeks. 

Over  the  question  of  the  proper  form 
of  a dictionary  catalogue  has  g: : )wn  up  a 
veritable  literature  of  rule  and  contro- 
versy, a good  bit  of  which  literature 
the  worthy  library  man  must  be  famil- 
iar with  before  he  can  write  the  three 
humble  little  cards  just  mentioned. 

The  book  is  next  entered  in  the 
shelf-list,  a list  of  the  books  in  the 
library  arranged  in  the  order  of  their 
class  numbers.  The  entries  in  it  fol- 
low each  other  in  the  exact  order  in 
which  the  books  they  represent  stand 
on  the  shelves.  Its  class  and  author 
number,  together  forming  the  cabalis- 
tic signs  seen  on  the  back  of  each  book 
in  a library,  are  now  written  in  the  ac- 
cession book  where  the  first  entries 
were  made.  If,  as  is  probable,  the 
book  is  to  be  included  in  a list  soon  to 
be  printed,  a slip  is  written  containing 
author,  title  and  shelf  number  with 
date  of  publication,  and  this  slip  is 
sorted  into  its  alphabetical  place  in 
the  list  for  the  printer. 

A pocket  is  pasted  inside  the  front 
cover,  a tag  is  pasted  on  the  back — a 
busy  library  of  20,000  volumes  sticks 
on  20,000  to  30,000  of  these  tags  in  a 
year.  The  words  “Denver  Public 
Library”  are  stamped  on  the  front 
edge  of  the  leaves,  on  the  title  page 
and  on  the  21st,  101st,  201st,  301st, 
&c.,  pages  and  on  the  last  page.  The 
number  973  Sm  5 is  written  on  the 
tag  on  the  back,  on  the  pocket  within 
the  front  cover,  and  on  both  sides  of  a 
card  to  be  kept  in  that  pocket.  The 
book  is  opened  gently  in  a half  a dozen 
places  to  loosen  the  binding  so  that, 
if  it  be  a vandal  who  first  borrows  it, 
it  will  not  be  quite  so  likely  to  have 
its  back  broken  when  he  opens  it  for 
the  first  time.  And  it  is  carried  out 
of  the  catalogue  department,  put  on 
the  shelf,  and  the  library  work  over  it 
really  begins. 

I have  endeavored  in  this  brief 
statement  of  one  small  part  of  tho 
work  in  a library  to  set  down  naught 
jp  jpalipe  and  to  pile  up  no  imaginary 


mountains.  I have  given  only  a sug- 
gestion of  the  actual  labor  involved  in 
buying  a book  and  putting  it  on  the 
shelf.  I have  glided  over  the  difficul- 
ties and  the  agonies. 


APPENDIX. 

Outline  of  the  work  of  getting  a 
book  ready  for  the  library  shelf: 

Bill  from  Scribner.  Date,  2 Mch.,  ’94. 
Find  order  cards. 

Check  off  bill. 

Medical  books: — 

Make  special  bill. 

Put  book  plates  on  cover. 
Donations: — 

Acknowledge. 

Enter. 

Book  plate. 

Page  and  size. 

Accession. 

Open. 

Cut  pages. 

Stamp. 

Pocket. 

Pag. 

Classify. 

Catalogue. 

Author  card. 

Cross  reference  cards,  etc. 

Author  slip. 

Title  slip. 

.up., j satk. 

Fiction. 

Author  card 
Title  card. 

Bulletin. 

Medical  books. 

Author  card. 

Title  card.  /• 

Subject  cards,  etc.  ) 

Write  number. 

Varnish  tag. 

Put  book  on  shelf. 

Arrange  cards  by  accession  No. 

Enter  class  No.  in  accession  book. 
Arrange  cards  numerically. 

Shelf  list. 

Arrange  cards  alphabetically. 
Distribute  cards  and  slips. 


For  counter. 


\ For  medical 
alcove. 


For  information  about  all  kinds  of 
library  material,  cards,  blank  books, 
catalogue  systems,  cases,  pockets,  etc., 
etc.,  write  to  the  Library  Bureau,  125 
Franklin  street,  Chicago,  111. 

For  information  about  the  best 
books'for  a small  popular  library  see 
the  “Catalogue  of  the  American 
Library  Association  Library.”  This 
is  $ library  gf  5,000  yolumes,  selected 


3 0112  105798315 


by  the  American  Library  Association, 
and  shown  at  the  Columbian  Exposi- 
tion. it  gives  authors,  titles,  pub- 
lisher’s prices.  It  shows  how  books 
should  be  catalogued  and  classified.  It 
includes  a model  dictionary  catalogue. 
You  can  get  it  of  the  Bureau  of  Edu- 
cation, Washington,  D.  C 

For  information  about  the  Ameri- 
can Library  Association  write  to  the 
President,  Melvil  Dewey,  Albany, 
N.  Y. 


STARTING  A LIBRARY. 

if  the  town,  or  the  village,  or  the 
school  district,  has  decided  to  estab- 
lish a library,  even  though  the  begin- 
ning is  with  only  a hundred  volumes, 
it  is  well  to  be  somewhat  systematic  in 
the  matter.  If  the  library  is  to  grow, 
however  slowly,  it  is  almost  essential 
that  the  first  books  purchased  be  prop- 
erly recorded,  and  numbered  in  such 
a way  as  to  be  easily  kept  track  of.  If 
they  are  to  be  lent,  some  short  and 
simple  but  accurate  method  of  charg- 
ing, keeping  record  of  volumes  lent 
out,  should  be  put  in  use.  The  libra- 
ries of  this  and  other  countries  have 
developed,  in  the  past  twenty  or  thirty 
years,  methods  and  devices  no  end  for 
the  saving  of  time  and  the  adding  to 
the  usefulness  of  books,  and  the  keep- 
ing in  hand  the  many  details  of  buy- 
ing, classifying,  cataloguing,  binding, 
lending  and  the  like. 

In  addition  to  its  regular  staff,  the 
public  library  has  had  at  work,  for  six 
months  past,  a class  of  five  library 
pupils.  They  have  been  given  excel- 
lent opportunities  to  learn  of  many  of 
the  more  important  secrets  of  the 
craft.  They  would  be  able  to  put  in 
order  a library  already  started,  to  look 
after  the  purchase  and  arrangement  of 
books  to  be  bought  and  to  put  in  oper- 
ation such  methods  of  keeping  record 
of  books  lent  as  the  size  of  the  library 
and  the  number  of  borrowers  might 
make  advisable. 

If  you  are  moving  in  library  matters 
in  your  town  or  school  district,  no 
matter  what  part  of  Colorado  you  may 
be  in,  it  might  advantage  you  to 
communicate  with  this  library.  If  no* 
one  can  go  from  here  to  give  you  as- 
sistance,. it  would  certainly  be  possi- 
ble to  send  you  information,  notes  and 
suggestions,  and  this  the  library  is  al- 
ways pleased  to  do. 

Public  Library,  Denver,  April,  1894, 


